A Soldier's Sacrifice
by 16woodsequ
Summary: Knock Out finds Starscream still up, late at night and gains some insight into his character...all while trying to get him to sleep. Discussion of abuse.


**A/N:** Can be read as a stand alone piece or linked to my other story "Dear Doctor"

Knock Out fought to keep his optics online as he struggled to finish the last reports of the day. He was sitting at his desk in the Med bay, his faceplate resting on his servo while he scanned the pad in front of him. The four wheeler checked his chronometer, it was _way_ too late to be up. Knock Out was prepared to bet that even Soundwave was in recharge by now.

Knock Out's elbow slipped and he nearly face planted into the table. Catching himself and giving a growl he offlined the datapad. He'd finish it in the morning, now it was time to get some well-earned beauty sleep.

Stretching as he stood, Knock Out moved towards the Med bay doors. He did have a berth in the Med bay, but Knock Out found that he spent enough time in the Med bay as it was. Besides, his quarters were much more comfortable.

Walking down the darkened corridors Knock Out began to regret giving up the berth in Med bay. While less comfortable, it was closer at hand.

Knock Out was startled out of his thoughts when he noticed a patch of light, in the otherwise shady hallway. The light was protruding out of the doorway that lead to the common room. Knock Out frowned, who in their right mind would be up at this hour?

 _Besides myself._ He grumbled.

Knock Out decided he didn't care and continued on his way. Although he couldn't help throwing a glance at the common room.

The mech inside caused Knock Out to stop in his tracks.

 _Not again._ Thought Knock Out. An inner battle waged within the medic. His exhaustion tempted him to simply ignore the seeker. But his programming thought otherwise.

With a sigh Knock Out gave in and entered the common room.

"Starscream," Knock Out stated. Seating himself across from the grey seeker. "What, if I may ask, are you doing at this ridiculous hour?"

The flyer jumped from his hunched position over the table, and regarded the medic with fuzzy optics. Knock Out frowned with concern this time. Usually the Air Commander was more aware of his surroundings than this.

Starscream's gaze sharpened quickly and he straightened in his seat. "Knock Out. What do you want?" The seeker snapped. Although the usual bite was gone from his voice. "I assumed you'd be in recharge by now."

"I could say the same for you." Knock Out hummed. Lounging against the table he eyed the datapads strewn around the Air Commander.

Starscream huffed giving the medic a glare. He'd much rather be alone right now. But the sports car ignored the glare and remained seated.

 _Fine then._ Starscream thought as he shifted away from the red mech sitting at his table.

The Second was ignoring him, but Knock Out was used to that. He smirked. Might as well use this to his advantage. Knock Out began to sift through the piles of datapads surrounding the Air Commander. Smiling softly as the seeker doubled his efforts to ignore the medic. Finding a datapad to his liking, Knock Out sat back and onlined it. It was a simple report on troop movements in different mines. It was dull and repetitive, causing Knock Out to thank his lucky stars he never had to deal with the majority of the reports that Starscream did.

A slim servo darted forward and snatched the boring pad from his grasp. Ruby red optics glared at Knock Out as Starscream began to rearrange his piles of reports.

Knock Out could see no pattern in the seeker's placements of pads. Although he'd known the Second long enough to know that Starscream had a system to everything he did. Even if it literally meant having no system at all. Knock Out gave a sly smile, if he was going to stay up with the grey flyer, he might as well get some entertainment.

Starscream seemed to have read his mind however and stated so quite bluntly. "Don't touch anything."

Knock Out huffed and leaned on his servo, his elbow resting on the table. Watching Starscream as he reorganized anything Knock Out may have put out of place. Once Starscream deemed that everything was back in its place he relaxed and regarded the mech across from him.

"What do you want Knock Out?" Starscream sighed. Knowing the medic wasn't going to leave him alone until he got what he was after, whatever that was.

Knock Out folded his arms and gave the seeker across from him a steady look. "Going to recharge any time soon?" Starscream scoffed "Is that what this is about? Knock Out, I'm _fine._ " Knock Out gave Starscream a flat stare.

Starscream narrowed his optics and picked up a datapad. "Good _night_ Knock Out."

Are. You. Serious!?" Knock Out snarled. Slamming his palms on the table, causing the Air Commander to jump. "Do you think I'm an idiot? When was the last time you actually slept properly? Knock Out vented sharply. "And don't you dare tell me it's because of your workload. Nobody's going to die because a few reports are late."

Starscream's optics flashed and he slowly, deliberately placed his datapad back on its respective stack. "You think so?" He hissed softly. "Because _I'd_ like to give Megatron no more reason than necessary to find fault in me."

Knock Out growled, standing so he was looking down on the seeker. "Do you really? Because it seems to me you're trying to get yourself scraped! What did you _think_ was going to happen when you poisoned his energon?"

Starscream clasped his servos. "I expected him to realize it much earlier than he did."  
Knock Out's jaw dropped.

Starscream continued, not looking at the speechless medic. "I've known him much longer then you have, Knock Out. Most of the seekers joined at the very beginning. Right after the fall of Vos." Starscream's wings twitched and he grimaced.

"I remember what he was like. And he wasn't the tyrant he is now. Do you really think he would have brought the _blood of Unicron_ to battle?" Starscream shifted and looked the medic full in the face. "Not back then, no."

"Then... then why?" Knock Out managed to get out. Starscream gave a harsh laugh. "War is not a pretty thing Knock Out, and even our great Lord is affected. What else but a traitor to keep him grounded?"

Knock Out stared, but Starscream didn't seem to notice. "I remember the first time he hit me." the Second in Command mused. "He was growing paranoid. Certain there was a traitor among us. Admittedly there was, but it was an Intel personnel, not myself." Starscream smirked sourly. "So I thought that maybe, if he had his traitor, something he was sure of... Of course now it's a bloody cycle."

"But I've seen you. Knock Out cut in. "You can't tell me that you've never meant to kill Lord Megatron." Starscream smirked. "True, but our leader is quite sharp." Knock Out sank back down onto the bench.

Starcream snorted. "Besides, I'd probably get into more trouble if Megatron were to actually die." Knock Out's brow furled. "...why?" Starscream's mouth curled into a sly smile. "Now Doctor, you can't expect me to reveal _all_ my secrets in one night, now can you?"

Knock Out blinked. "You're crazy." Starscream laughed and began to gather up his datapads into subspace. "Yes Doctor. Now if you excuse me I think my berth is calling my name."

Knock Out stared after the grey seeker making his way out of the common room. He huffed and pushed himself up from the bench he'd been sitting in. Remembering words he had spoken not long ago.

 _If it wasn't for this blasted war..._


End file.
